


Infinite

by FlamingLeaf



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Child!Konan, Gen, Infinite Tsukuyomi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29636139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlamingLeaf/pseuds/FlamingLeaf
Summary: Where was the beginning? Where was the end? In the absolute silence, Konan's panicked footsteps thrummed in her ears like thunder on a particularly stormy night. Orange eyes screamed in silent terror as she stumbled through the uniform lines of living, unmoving corpses.At the very end, only Akatsuki remained.
Kudos: 6





	Infinite

Where was the beginning? Where was the end? In the absolute silence, Konan's panicked footsteps thrummed in her ears like thunder on a particularly stormy night. Orange eyes screamed in silent terror as she stumbled through the uniform lines of living, unmoving corpses.

There was something white moving between those orderly lines and whatever it was, Konan really did not want to be caught by it.

So she ran.

And ran.

Her breathing was becoming unsteady and her red ripped dress, drenched in sweat and mud as it was, clung tightly to her skin.

But Konan paid it no mind.

She forced herself to go on and on, because if she stopped, she would be dead.

Something flickered about ten rows to the right. Konan breathed sharply and quickened her pace, but she was so focused on _keeping moving_ that she completely forgot to watch where she was running. Her foot got tangled in a dead root, and she stumbled forward, crashing into one of the living corpses and forcing them both to the ground.

A sharp pain pierced her arms as she moved to cushion her fall, and the tiny pebbles buried in the dry earth dug painfully in her palms. Luckily, her body had landed on something soft.

Wait.

Soft?

Feeling the dread pooling in her stomach, Konan slowly raised her head and stifled a scream when she found herself staring into empty, ringed eyes. The man's facial muscles were completely slack, his skin unnaturally white. He seemed almost dead - and yet he wasn't.

Konan could feel his warm breath ghosting over her neck and felt herself shuddering in fear and revulsion.

She tried to scramble away, but suddenly, completely without warning, the man's right arm moved. A big, callused hand closed around Konan's throat and _squeezed_.

She chocked, her heartbeat quickened, and she flailed helplessly, wrapping her tiny hands around the man's muscled arm, desperately trying to loosen the grip. It was useless. His grip was too strong.

Black spots danced in front of her eyes, her vision blurred. She did not want to die. Not like this. Not now.

Konan started to channel chakra into her hands, but before she could even attempt to try again, there was an odd squelching sound and Konan was suddenly able to breathe again.

Firm hands extracted her out of the corpse's slacking grip and drew her against a strong chest as fingers curled around her chin and forced her head up to meet her rescuer's gaze.

Swirling crimson bore into terrified orange. "She is aware, Leader-sama." a deep voice rumbled.

"Take her with us," a second voice answered, authority and dominance leaking out of his words.

The man's grip shifted. The hand slid from her chin to her small back, supporting it as his other arm moved beneath her legs, hoisting her up.

Konan squirmed, trying to get free, but her attempts only resulted in her face getting pressed against the man's collarbone and she could feel the rough material of his robes rubbing against her cheeks.

"Hush, little one." the man muttered quietly, "We will not harm you. You are safe with us."

The girl stilled. She was not sure if she could believe this stranger. But she was tired and desperately needed to rest. Her body sagged against her will and she caught a whiff of a sweet scent before darkness claimed her.

There were quiet murmurs around her. The sound of rustling paper. Konan could feel her awareness return to her, and the air next to her shifted.

"You are awake."

The girl steeled herself and hesitatingly opened her eyes, turning her head into the direction of the voice. Her sleepy gaze fell on a blurred outline that slowly sharpened into the figure of a man.

Konan recognized the voice. If she remembered correctly, it belonged to the one called "Leader-sama."

He certainly looked like a leader. His posture was casual and relaxed, but there was an edge to him that told her that the man in front of her was not someone who put up with disobedience. She could feel the suppressed power dancing around him, and Konan realized he was not only dangerous, but _deadly_.

Her focus fell on the man's face and the girl instinctively recoiled when she saw his ringed purple eyes, scrambling back on the couch and staring at them in abject terror.

"Relax," he told her calmly, and Konan felt herself unconsciously respond to his commanding tone. "My eyes might look the same," the man continued, "but they are not."

He started walking towards her direction, his steps slow but sure. "I am Pain," he informed her, tilting his head down to study her. "What is your name, child?"

"Konan," she answered slowly, drawn in by his presence. "My name is Konan."

"Well, Konan…," Pain began unhurriedly, settling down next to the scared child. "Are you aware of what happened to you?"

The girl shook her head.

"Then allow me to tell you a story," the man continued, his gaze trailing into the distance. "The story of this world."

"Once upon a time, the world was separated into different countries. These countries had villages that were home to people with special powers. Shinobi. They were capable of controlling the elements, and some had a strength so great they could reshape entire districts. But as it always happens when people taste power, they longed for more and soon wars broke out. Several countries got wiped out in the process, and the losses were countless. In the end, the earth had been reduced to a wasteland and out of the ashes a man rose, swearing to unite the world."

Pain paused and a wry expression flitted over his face before he continued. "He captured the nine most powerful chakra beasts and combined them into one, obtaining enough power to trap the world in an eternal illusion: The Infinite Tsukuyomi. You have seen the effects of it yourself."

His gaze bore into hers. "At the Valley of the End."

"Those people… they are all trapped?" Konan asked quietly, vividly remembering the countless rows of humans, frozen like statues, staring into nothingness with vacant gazes.

She shuddered as Pain nodded grimly. "Yes."

"Only eight of us managed to escape this fate." The man gestured to the seven men around him, who had been strangely silent; solemn looks on their faces."

"But now," he added, his attention turning back towards the child. "We are nine."

"Welcome to Akatsuki, Konan."

**Author's Note:**

> I've found this lying around my hard drive, so I polished it up a bit. It does not have a continuation and I don't think I'll ever write one. But I am still sharing it, maybe someone else enjoys it, too. =)


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